The student becomes the master
by u muggle
Summary: What would you do if you were given the chance to switch roles with someone for the day? Hermione has just that choice to make, will she take up Snape's challenge and prove that she was right after all?
1. Chapter 1:The student becomes the master

**The student becomes the master**

"Ten points from Gryffindor," he said smugly, watching half the classes horror stricken faces.

"But sir-"she started, her hand waving in the air.

"Another ten points from Gryffindor for Miss Granger's rude interruption," he snapped turning his back to the class as he strode back to his desk. "What are you waiting for, get on with it then!" he shouted at the still dumbstruck class. Suddenly the sound of scraping chairs on the flagstones echoed around the room as the spell of silence was broken. The class rushed to the store cupboard, leaving a solitary figure still sitting resolutely at her desk. Her arms were crossed firmly across her chest, her eyes staring defiantly at the blackboard. By now, nearly everyone was back at their desks, setting up their cauldrons whilst trying to figure out what to do first.

"Miss Granger is there some reason you have yet to collect your ingredients from the supply cupboard?" Snape demanded, his eyes boring into hers.

"I think you'll find sir that the bezoar must be added at least five minutes before the wormwood or the potion will be utterly useless," she replied calmly. His eyes flickered quickly to the blackboard before they returned to her face. The class watched in stunned silence, nobody had ever stood up to Snape like this, well, nobody who was still alive to tell the tale.

"OUT NOW!" he bellowed, standing up swiftly, his hand firmly clasping his wand.

She stood up slowly and quietly, gathered her books and swung her bag over her shoulder before walking to the door.

The moment she had left the classroom, she knew that that wasn't the best thing to have said, or done for that matter. The thought was reinforced into her mind as a livid Professor Snape slammed the door shut behind him with a flick of his wand.

"How dare you," he whispered menacingly, striding towards her so that he was now towering over her. His eyes were wide with anger and his jaw set. "How dare you question my authority," he continued, in the same menacing whisper as before. Hermione knew that now was the time to keep her mouth shut, even though she knew she was right in what she had said. "I will not take points from Gryffindor for that is not punishment enough for your out of character outburst. I will not report you to your head of house either because, yet again, I know you will only be assigned a couple of months detention which is _still_ not punishment enough. I want you to report to me at four o'clock this afternoon in my classroom." She nodded dumbfounded, what had happened to the hated bat of the dungeons, the feared head of Slytherin house, the ex deatheater? How had she survived with all her body parts intact?

The bell for next lesson rang shrilly, and, giving her one last hate filled glare, Professor Snape disappeared back inside his classroom.

"Come on; tell us then, how many months detention?" Ron blurted out as they walked through the courtyard to Care of Magical Creatures.

"None," Hermione muttered, flicking through her potions textbook.

"Yeah right!" Harry chimed in, shifting his bag further up his shoulder.

"I swear I've read it here somewhere… aha here it is," Hermione exclaimed pointing her finger at a list of potions instructions under the heading "Simple love potions". "_It is vital that you add the bezoar stone (see page 121) five minutes before the wormwood, if you do not then the love potion will be rendered useless,_" she read happily, before snapping the book shut with a resounding thud.

"It doesn't matter if you were right, you still shouldn't have said anything to him, you should have maybe warned _us_ about the mistake, but not Snape!" Harry said after Hermione had finished.

"He's right you know Hermione," Ron added.

"What? Let him fail us all because he got the instructions wrong!" she shouted in frustration. The two boys shrugged before stepping back into the awkward silence.

"You didn't tell us truthfully how many months detention you got," Ron asked again, looking anxiously at Hermione.

"Oh, don't worry Ronald I'll still have time to help you with your homework, I told you the truth I didn't get any," she snapped, pushing her hair behind her ear.

"None?" Ron asked bewildered.

"None," she repeated firmly. Harry and Ron exchanged astounded glances. "Now if you don't mind, I'd like to enjoy my Care of Magical Creatures lesson without feeling like I'm being interrogated," she said before walking quickly towards the waiting class of fifth year students in front of Hagrid's hut.


	2. Chapter 2: A Proposition

**Chapter 2: A Proposition**

The day had flown past and as the clock struck four o'clock Hermione found herself knocking at Professor Snape's classroom door.

"Come in," a voice said sharply from within. Nervously, Hermione pushed the door open, her eyes landing immediately at the figure in front of the blackboard. With a wave of his wrist the door creaked slowly shut behind her. Breathing deeply, she walked to her usual desk and set her bag down on it before turning to face him, ready for the onslaught that was to come. He stood there silently, watching her intently, his eyes darting over her anxious face. "Miss Granger I have a proposition for you," he finally said, breaking the tension filled silence between them.

"Yes sir?" she asked, intrigued as to what it could be.

"You can either have detentions every night with me for a whole three months, or…you can take my classes for me for the same period of time. After all, you are far superior than me at teaching potions, are you not?" he asked sarcastically, a glint of sly satisfaction in his eye as he watched Hermione's horrified face.

"But sir I'm not fully qualified and Professor Dumbledore would never let me-"she said.

"I have already cleared it with the Headmaster, but if you are too much of a Gryffindor coward to accept my offer, I'm afraid that your only other option is to have three months of detention scrubbing cauldrons. It is after all, your choice," he finished smugly, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"How will this work?" she asked timidly, the possibilities running through her mind.

"Under my conditions," he answered simply, taking a seat behind his desk.

"What would those _conditions_ be, sir?" she questioned pulling out some parchment, a pot of ink and a quill from her bag.

"One: you must keep to my lesson plans to the letter. Two: you will stop all of your lessons apart from the ones you are teaching and therefore you will take revision lessons with either myself or another member of staff. Three: you must write a report of every lesson you take and hand it into me by the end of the day and finally, four: if you quit before the end of three months you will have to suffer a year long detention with me, every night. Do you understand?" he asked scrutinising her for the slightest reaction to what he had just said.

"Yes sir," Hermione answered scribbling down the last of the instructions on her parchment. Without a word he rose silently from his seat and pulled out a roll of parchment and a green leather bound book. He placed both on the desk in front of her and unrolled the parchment. There scrawled in black ink, was the unmistakeable writing of Professor Snape, as she read further down the document she realised that it was a binding magical contract.

"Sign here Miss Granger to begin your… teaching career," he said, pointing at a small gap at the bottom of the parchment. With a shaking hand she dipped her quill in her bottle of ink and swiftly signed the parchment before she could change her mind. He rolled it up quickly and placed it on his desk behind him. "This Miss Granger is my book of lesson plans; this will be the most important thing that I give you. Inside it are step by step instructions on every lesson for the next three months, from first years up to sixth years, this also includes the homework that I will expect you to give them. At the back is the mark list where you will record the homework marks for each student." He explained, before handing the book over to her. She took it nervously, turning to tomorrows date. To her horror she found that she had a lesson first thing and worse still, with a class of second year Gryffindor and Slytherin children. She looked up to see a sly smirk sweep across Professor Snape's features.

"Is that all sir?" she asked, trying to hide her sudden wave of panic.

"For now," he replied sweeping back behind his desk.

"Sir?" she asked swinging her bag back onto her shoulder.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" he snapped, turning his attention to her.

"If I'm to teach I will need the keys to this classroom and to the store cupboard too," she said calmly and innocently. He reached inside his drawer and pulled out a set of small silver keys. He slid them to the front of his desk, towards the already waiting outstretched hand of Hermione.

"I will want those back Miss Granger and if anything out of the ordinary disappears don't think I've forgotten about the Polyjuice potion incident," he said seriously, eyeing the keys in her hand. Without another word she nodded, smiled and headed towards the door, the green book clutched tightly in her hand. With one last glance at her Professor she closed the classroom door behind her. As soon as she was out of sight her smile faltered, what had she gotten herself into? Only tomorrow would tell.


	3. Chapter 3: Shrinking Solutions and Ben D

Chapter 3: Shrinking solutions and Ben Dover

"Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God," she muttered in panic under her breath as she hastily scanned the first page of the green bound book in her trembling hands entitled "Shrinking Potions".

"Hey, what's that?" Ron asked, plonking himself down next to Hermione at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. He hurriedly grabbed three slices of toast from the nearest golden platter.

"Nothing," she replied quickly whilst stuffing the book firmly into her bag which was under the table. Ron looked at her suspiciously before shrugging and taking a bite out of a slice of toast. "I've got to go," she blurted already reaching for her bag.

"I'll see you in Herbology then," Ron said, waving at the retreating form of his friend.

"I have those special lessons with McGonagall remember!" she shouted nearly tripping over the out stretched foot of a third year Slytherin and dodging a confused looking Harry.

"What's up with her?" Harry asked Ron as he sat down next to him at the table.

"Must be a girl thing," Ron answered, seeming completely uninterested in anything but his now fifth slice of toast.

She darted quickly down the stone flight of steps into the cold, dank dungeons where Snape's classroom was. She came to a halt in front of the classrooms thick wooden door and, ignoring the spiteful looks of the Slytherins loitering in the corridors, searched for the key to the classroom door. After a couple of minutes she pulled her hand triumphantly out of her bag clutching an old, rather beaten looking silver key. She pushed it into the lock and turned it, after hearing an unusually loud clanking noise the door slid slowly open to a deafening creak. "Note to self, get rid of that creaking noise because I have a feeling it is going to drive me mad," she muttered whilst shutting the heavy door behind her. She stood unsure of her self before straightening her shoulders. "This is my classroom now," she thought, striding purposefully towards the great ebony desk at the head of the room. She put her bag on the desk and once again removed the green book that Professor Snape had given her. She glanced nervously at the first page for what seemed like the twentieth time. There, written in his unmistakeable scrawling handwriting were her set of instructions for her very first lesson as a teacher.

"Lesson 1: Shrinking solution more commonly known as a shrinking potion

Ingredients:

Three chopped daisy roots

One skinned shrivelfig

Six sliced caterpillars

One rat spleen

A dash of leech juice

Effect of said potion: Causes objects or organisms to shrink in size…."

She read the page again remembering her anger at the fact that Snape had felt the need to include the effect of the potion, as if she wouldn't already know herself! The instructions continued down the page, each as precise as the next, even the timings of when each sections should be finished. "Merlin does this man need to get a life," she thought shaking her head as she positioned the blackboard ready for the class. With a literal wave of her wand, the instructions appeared on the board in her neat, rounded handwriting. With another couple of gestures the black pewter cauldrons flew out of their storing space and onto the surface of every desk in the room.

It was now quarter to nine and as if on cue a rabble of noisy voices could be heard from outside of the door. After taking a deep breath she left the safety of what was now _her_ classroom and entered the corridor beyond. "Quiet please," she said trying to portray an air of authority in her voice. The small Gryffindor girl nearest the front stopped her conversation and turned to face Hermione, unfortunately she seemed to be the only one. "I said quiet please!" she shouted above the chattering. It suddenly went quiet as every head turned to face her.

"You're not Snape!" one Slytherin boy shouted, looking Hermione up and down with his narrowed dark brown eyes.

"Way to state the obvious idiot!" another Gryffindor boy shouted from the front of the line. The surrounding Gryffindors burst into appreciative laughter as the second year Slytherins gave venomous stares back.

"Thank you everyone," Hermione said, trying to suppress a small smile. "I am Professor Granger and I will be taking your lessons from now on, so you best get inside and take a seat." The class trudged into the classroom, the brown eyed Slytherin boy barging smaller Gryffindors out of his way.

"Oh no," Hermione desperately thought as she shuffled through her papers on the desk, "Where the hell did I put the register?" She sighed with annoyance as she was forced to accept that she had forgotten it and left it in her dormitory. She grabbed a piece of paper and placed it on the first desk in front of her. "I would like everybody to sign their name on this piece of paper as I have misplaced the register for now," she said loudly above the scraping of various stools.

It had all started out so well, as the "register" was being handed out she explained the aims of the lesson and the instructions on the board, it _had_ been going oh so well.

Five minutes later the "register" returned to her desk in the hands of a long dark haired Slytherin girl. With a smile Hermione took the register and proceeded to call out the names provided for her, to make sure nobody had been forgotten. "James Jenkins, Laura Thomas, Veritus Edwards, Ben Dover!" she called out the final name over raucous laughter. She checked the name again turning bright red as she realised she had fell for the oldest trick in the book. Harry and Ron did the same thing every time they had a supply teacher for a lesson; she cursed herself for making such a simple mistake.

That had done it; after finding out that the second years could so easily fool her they continued to bombard her with classic supply teacher treatment. She should have noticed the signs immediately as after asking a Slytherin to read the sixth instruction on the board, the whole sea of green robes in front of her started trying to stop themselves giggling. The boy squinted dramatically and started stuttering the words which were written on the blackboard, "T-t-t-take s-s-s-ix s-s-sliced cater-cater-caterpillars and-"he stuttered to the obvious amusement of his fellow students. As the minutes ticked slowly by she could feel herself getting redder and redder as she was deliberately being ignored by half of the class and the jokes kept coming.

Professor McGonagall strolled through the corridors towards the Entrance Hall; she was just about to enter the courtyard when she heard an alarming series of bangs that seemed to be resonating from the dungeon corridors. With an unusual amount of speed she headed into the dungeon corridor. BANG!! WHIZZ!! BANG!! It seemed to be coming from Professor Snape's classroom, how odd. She pushed the door open and immediately ducked as a whirling green rocket headed straight for her. After recovering she stood up and surveyed the room in horror. Multi coloured fireworks whizzed happily around the room, exploding into dragons blowing fire and samurais slashing with their swords. Fountains of red and orange sparks flew up into the air and fell back into a gradually melting cauldron. Children ran around, jumping on tables and throwing enchanted paper balls at each other whilst some were trying desperately to put out the sparks that were getting dangerously close to their desks and stools. In the midst of it all stood Hermione, her brown hair wildly out of control, her face bright red desperately waving her wand in every direction and shouting to no avail.

"WHAT IN MERLIN'S NAME DO YOU THINK YOU ARE ALL DOING?" McGonagall bellowed furiously, stopping everyone in their tracks, the whizzing of the fireworks the only sound in the otherwise quiet room. "HOW DARE YOU! I WANT ALL OF YOU TO LEAVE THIS ROOM AND REPORT TO ME FOR DETENTION TONIGHT AT SIX! AND I MEAN ALL OF YOU MR CALE!" she shouted, directing her last comment to the brown eyed Slytherin boy who had been trying to edge over to the Gryffindor side of the classroom, so as not to be caught. "OUT, NOW!" she finished, clearing the way for the wave of second years trying to exit the scene of the crime as quickly as possible.

"Professor McGonagall, I am so sorry I tried to make them stop but……." Hermione trailed off, tears welling in her eyes.

Professor McGonagall surveyed the classroom and with a swirl of her wrist the fireworks disappeared, the cauldrons were reformed, the paper sent into the bin and all the desks and stools were put back where they belonged. She turned slowly towards Hermione. "I have seen much much worse my dear," she said kindly placing her hand on Hermione's shoulder. Hermione raised her eyebrows sceptically as she remembered the state the room had been in. "Believe me Miss Granger after having Gilderoy Lockhart as a colleague you would understand how this was no more than a teenager's messy bedroom," she said, smiling reassuringly. "Now how about a cup of very strong tea, I presume you have no lesson next?" she enquired gesturing towards the door. With a quick shake of her head Hermione gathered her bag and rushed gratefully out of the classroom.


	4. Chapter 4:A small twisting of the truth

Chapter 4: A small twisting of the truth

With a quick shake of her head Hermione gathered her bag and rushed gratefully out of the classroom. She fell into step beside McGonagall, glancing occasionally at her face to see if she was actually secretly angry with her. But, no, McGonagall still wore a small smile on her face as they reached the staff room door.

"After you," she offered whilst pushing open the door. Hermione stood awkwardly in the threshold; she had never been inside the staff room before. It was a rather small room cluttered with a variety of comfy armchairs, sofas and ornate wooden chairs which were all congregated around one very rickety looking table, stacked high with piles of parchment. The fire crackled lovingly in the corner of the room and an old, battered looking wardrobe stood on the opposite end of the room. Hermione hesitantly chose a winged back red armchair which sank slightly as she sat down in it. Professor McGonagall took the matching seat opposite. "I think some tea might be in order," she said and with a wave of her hand a tray of tea was now perched precariously on the small table between them a few papers fluttered to the floor but McGonagall didn't seem to mind.

"Thank you," Hermione muttered, still too embarrassed to look her Head of House in the eye. McGonagall sighed and poured the tea.

"I have told you Miss Granger that I have seen far worse and if it makes you feel any better at all I may admit that my first ever lesson as a transfiguration teacher was a complete and utter disaster too and so may I add was Professor Snape's." She finished levitating the blue teacup towards Hermione. She took it gratefully and gave a weak smile before taking a small sip.

"What happened in Professor Snape's firs lesson?" she enquired curiously, what mistakes could the feared Head of Slytherin house have made? Professor McGonagall took a sip of her own tea before replying.

"I am afraid Miss Granger that if I told you that I wouldn't be alive teaching Transfiguration tomorrow. My dear Professor Snape has always been a very private man and I promised that I wouldn't tell a soul, he may be infuriating at times but I still consider him to be a friend," she said, settling further back into the armchair. Hermione nodded, she hadn't been expecting McGonagall to actually tell her what had happened.

"Oh, Professor I have that essay that was due in today, it's in here somewhere," she said whilst rummaging quickly through her bag. "Ah, here it is!" she exclaimed pulling out the green bound book and opening it to the back. She handed the essay to McGonagall who thanked her and sent it to her room. Hermione stared hopelessly at the book in front of her, tears already forming again in her eyes. She blinked furiously and tried to appear normal as she discussed colour changing spells with Professor McGonagall. "Oh God, I have to write a report on the lesson for Professor Snape, he is going to kill me when he finds out what happened, unless…….." she thought, taking the last sip of tea from her cup. "Professor I am so sorry but I have to go and prepare for my lessons tomorrow, thank you for everything," she said smiling.

"My pleasure Miss Granger and if you need any advice just ask," she said reassuringly. Hermione nodded, took her bag and left the staff room. She headed unwillingly back to the dungeons, entered the classroom and sat down behind the ebony desk.

"Right," she muttered to herself as she took out a quill and a pot of ink. "Here goes nothing." She headed her entry, "lesson one: shrinking solutions/ shrinking potions".

Half an hour later she placed her quill back into the ink pot and stared at the last line of the report she had just written. "I ran out of time to hand out the homework but I will give it to them next lesson, overall the lesson was enjoyable, interactive and went out with a bang," she read out loud. Well, it wasn't an outright lie, just a small twisting of the truth. She picked up the book and as she had no other lessons today, decided to take her report directly to Professor Snape right at this minute.

She found him after a lot of searching, (where did Professor Snape go when he wasn't in the dungeons?) perusing the shelves in the library, reaching up now and again for what he deemed as an interesting book, he was of course in the potions section.

"Professor," she said after coughing to catch his attention. He turned around sharply and stood stone still staring at her. She gulped, was this such a good idea? If she was quick she could come up with an excuse and go and change the content of her report.

"Yes Miss Granger I haven't got all day, if you are coming to tell me that you would prefer a year's detention, then get it over and done with," he snapped caustically at her.

"Actually sir I have come to hand in my report for the day, you see I have no more lessons," she explained smiling inwardly at the faint flicker of shock on his face. He took the parchment quickly from her outstretched hand and started to read it. He raised his head a few times to take calculating stares at her before lowering it just as quickly to continue reading. After what seemed like an eternity, he nodded sharply, placed it in his robes pockets and returned to the book shelf behind him. Hermione took this as her cue to leave and thanked all that was Merlin that she had somehow got away with "twisting the truth" for her potions master. She felt like almost skipping as she headed back to the comfort of the staff room, she had had enough time spent in the dungeons for today.


End file.
